Rail truck



June 1952 A. o. WILLIAMS RAIL- TRUCK 3 Sheets-Sheet l vFiled Dec. 8, 1948 INVENTOR. ALFRED O. WILLIAMS ATTY.

June 3, A O. RAIL TRUCK Filed Dec. 8, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

IN VEN TOR. ALFRED O. WILLIAMS AT TY. 5s

June 3, 1952 A. o. WILLIAMS RAIL TRUCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 8, 1948 1. 2. 89 u o o INVENTOR.

ALFRED O. WILLIAMS BY 2MMbfl ATTY.

Patented June 3, 1952 RAIL TRUCK Alfred O; Williams,v Battle Creek, Mich., assignor to Clark Equipment Company,

Buchanan,

Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application December 8, 1948, Serial N 64,137

2: Claims. 1.

This: invention. relates. to. rail trucks and. more particularly is concerned with the development of; a. street. railway truck for use in connection with. electrically operated street railway cars,. as well as. elevated and. subway cars for interurban and: intra-city service.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide. a rail. truckof this type in which the necessity for using heavy, expensive castings is eliminated. and the major'portions of the truck frame arebuilt upfrom structural steel elements.

Another feature of the present invention is to provide. a. truck of this type having a sub-frame member rigidly secured at one end to an axle housing, and at its other. end, having a rotatable mounting about the axle housingupon which is supported the secondary or sub-frame of the truck by the use of springs which are disposedin the space between. the axle housings, thereby eliminating the use of; outer journal springs and thus: shortening,. to a considerable extent, the length ofthe framemembers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a truck. of; this general type in which approximately three-quarters of the spring deflection is in the bolster springs and the remainder is in the: journal springs, Whereas in previous trucks or this general type, the reverse has been. true. .This has the distinct advantage of. reducing body tilting because the principal spring suspension is spread'wider apart, it being disposed; substantially. in line with thewheels of the vehicle.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a non-metallic, resilient cushioning or dampening member for the top and bottom of the bolster springs, permitting the steel springs through which the load is carried to tilt more easily; This permits the bolster to move sidewayswithless resistance being built up in the steel springs, thereby providing a more flexible and more cushioned bolster support.

- Still another object of the present invention is to: provide a sub-frame consisting of parallel spaced-members extending at right angles to each other, two of said members being supported upon the journal springs and the remaining two members forming asupport for carrying the springs uponwhich the bolster ends are supported. This provides a simplified structural arrangement of greatly reduced: cost, eliminating the necessity oftransversely extending. castcross members, the two upper structuraljmembers being adapted to support the motors. for'the driving axles; th'ere-- by providing a resilient support of; such motors upon. the journal springs.

Stillanother object of the present invention is toprovide a construction of this type: in which: plates and gussets may be used' for reinforcing purposes to strengthen the structural.- members and thusprovide members of the same strength as a relatively heavy walled casting heretofore used.

Still another object of the presentinvention' is to provide a. bolster support in which. rubber means are provided for cushioning the bolster against oscillations thereof in a directionlong-itudinally of the truck to support thetruck vertically through: the use. of steel coil springs and yet to:provide.for lateral oscillationof thebolst'er by providing. non-metallic resilientpad supports for the steel coil' springs, allowing themto be cushioned during any tilting movement th'ereby absorbing the stresses built up in the steel-springs due to tilting action.

A still further feature of the present invention resides in the arrangement of the magnetic trackbrake shoe for support from the structural elements and cushioning the same against oscillations while providing for abutmentofthe. brake shoe frame against the main truckframe during braking operations.

Other objects and advantages ofthe present inventionwill appear more fully from the following detailed'description, which, taken in=conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will disclose to those skilled in the art, the particular construction and operation of a preferred" form of the present invention.

In the'drawings, Figure l is a top plan view, with portionsbroken away, of a truck embodying the present invention.

FigureZisa side elevational viewoi? the-truck shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevationalview of the axle construction for the truck shown-in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view, taken substantially through one of the cross frame members, showing the motor support. and spring arrangement. for the truck'sub-frame and Figure 5 is a-sectionalview t'aken'substantially transversely through the center of the'truck;

ef rr now in. detail to the drawings, the truck shown in Figure 1 comprises apair of axle assemblies, indicatedgenerally at 5, each of these assemblies including an axle extending through the axle housing and carrying the wheel 6. at opposite ends thereof. Theaxle housings are provided with enlargedgear' receiving portions 1;

3 containing a ring gear mounted upon the axle shaft and a pinion gear for driving the same and driven from the universal joint connection 8, leading through the propeller shaft 9 to the driving motors Ill. The axle housings are provided with boss portions, as indicated at l2, in Figure 1, which extend laterally both fore and aft of the housings and are provided with suitable bolt means |3 for rigidly clamping the two main frame elements thereto. It will be noted that these portions are disposed at opposite diagonal corners of the truck. The main frame members consist of channels 14 which may be of rolled section and which are disposed in upwardly opening position and have welded thereto a cross plate l5 extending laterally beyond the flanges of the channel and receiving the bolts l3 for rigidly locking the main side frame members M to the axle housings at these two points.

The members 14 extend longitudinally of the truck, and at their opposite ends are provided with bearing bracket members I6, and bearing caps I1, adapted to be bolted together about a resilient cylindrical member l8 extending about the axle housings to form a resilient connection with the axle housing at the other opposed diagonal points of the truck, thereby providing for limited rotative and rocking movement of the housing with respect to the side frame members.

The bearing members 16 and I! are bolted together by the bolts I9, the bearing member l6 preferably being welded or otherwise suitably secured by means of a flange extension 28 to the plate member I5 on top of the channels I4. The housing 5 is also provided, adjacent the integral extensions l2,.with a bracket 22 having a vertical face and corresponding with the offset bracket portion 23 of the cap member l6, which also has a vertical face, for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

Supported on the plate [5 extending across the top of the channels [4 and inside of the axle housings 5, are coil spring members, shown in detail in Figure 2 by reference numeral 24, which are seated upon a suitable supporting plate carried by the plate [5, and extend upwardly therefrom. Supported on the springs 24 is a longitudinally extending sub-frame member 25, which member is formed of a pair of inverted channels 26 and 21 as more clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5. This forms a rigid box type supporting member extending longitudinally at each side of the truck and carrying at its ends suitable vertically extending brackets 28 which, in turn, carry rubber bumper members 29 for engagement with the vertical faces of the brackets 22 and 23 to maintain the sub-frame member against appreciable longitudinal oscillation and confine them in position to prevent any appreciable amount of longitudinal tilting being imparted to the springs 24.

Suitable tie bolts extend centrally through the springs 24 from the sub-frame member 25 to the main sub-frame l4.

Spacing the two sub-frame members 25 in parallel position and providing cross bracing therebetween, are transverse cross members, generally indicated at 39, which are formed of plate members 32 extending transversely across and beyond the side frame members 25 and Welded thereto, and having side flange members 33 providing reinforcing therefor and welded thereto. The plate members 32 are depressed at the point where the motors ID are located and a suitable sling or strap member 34 is provided, engaging around the undersurface of the motor and carrying lugs 35 extending upwardly through the plate member 32 and through a cap member 36 supported on the side plates 33 which are cut away arcuately to fit into the grooves of the motor for locatin the motor axially and which also provide reinforcing by being extended upwardly at this point to provide a closure for the cap member 36. The cap member 36 receives the ends of the lugs 35 and suitable nuts are applied thereto for clamping the motor firmly in position, a positioning screw 31 being employed for locating the motor against rotation. This supports the motor vertically in position upon the cross members 30 and also holds it axially in position by the arcuate cut-out of the side plates 33 entering into suitable slots in the motor housing.

The extending ends of the side members 30 are adapted to receive a welded plate 38 which, as shown in Figure 2, has flat flanged ends welded to the extending ends of the plate 32, and has a depressed central portion, indicated at 39, for receiving the bolster springs. The cradle member thus formed is provided with plate members 40 and 42, forming interconnecting gussets and providing a channel-like member for reinforcing purposes. Within the U-shaped recess thus formed in the depressed portion 39 of the mem ber 38, there are disposed a pair of resilient rubber sandwiches 43 which are fixed in position by having the lower metallic surface thereof secured within the cradle-shaped portion 39 of the end member and serve as supports for the bolster springs 44 which are preferably helically coiled steel springs, extending vertically upwardly and carrying at the upper end corresponding rubber discs or sandwiches 45.

The ends of the members 39, above the cradle portion 38, are provided with reinforcing brackets 46 welded between the plate 32 and the plate 33, and adapted to support a bracket member or socket member 47 therein, this socket member receiving a rubber bumper 48 supported therein and preferably adapted to be suitably shimmed to provide a non-metallic resilient cushion for confining the bolster ends 49 therebetween.

This is clearly shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4.

Preferably, the motors of the truck are provided with brake mechanism'on the drive shaft thereof, this brake mechanism being indicated at 50, which may be either hydraulically or electrically actuated through a suitable actuating arm 52 extending below the bolster end 49 and above the cradle portion 39 at the ends of the cross members 30, the arm 52 being connected to an arcuate crank 53 operated through the brake actuating mechanism, generally indicated at 54. The mechanism '54 may be supported upon the end of the cross members 30 by means of a suitable bracket 55 and a face plate 56 secured across the ends of the side plates 33 of the cross members, as clearly shown in Figure 1.

The cross members 30 also carry intermediate their ends, brackets 58 which have normally extending plate portions 59 secured thereto, upon which are mounted rubber bumpers 60 for resiliently confining the bolster member for limited lateral oscillation.

Between one of the bracket members 58 and the bolster indicated generally at 62, there is a horizontally extending shock absorbing mechanism 63, whereby shock absorption is provided in a horizontal direction between the bolster 62 and the side frame member 32. Similarly, a vertical shock absorber 64. shown clearly in Figure 4, is

provided between the bolster 62 and the plate member I5 of the main frame members M. This provides for shock absorption of the bolster with respect to the main frame in a vertical direction, and with respect to the sub-frame in a horizontal direction. The bolster 62 has a central king pin receiving portion 66 for receiving the king pin of the vehicle and has extending arm portions 67 terminating in inverted downwardly opening and laterally spread ends 49, as shown in Figures 1 and 5.

The ends 69 are adapted to receive the upper resilient discs 45 of the spring assemblies 44, whereby the bolster is supported for vertical movement under the loads imposed on the car body by the spring assemblies 44. The bolster, however, is confined against lateral or longitudinal oscillations by the rubber bumper members 48 and 68. By the provision of the rubber discs at the top and bottom of the steel coil springs 46, oscillations of the truck which would normally tend to impart corresponding oscillations to the bolster 62 caused by track irregularities, are cushioned, the lateral oscillations built up in the steel coil spring being absorbed or dampened by the rubber discs which allow the springs to tilt laterally without building up corresponding reactions in the springs that would tend to produce shocks r jolts into the bolster and consequently into the car body.

Rail trucks of this type are normally provided with magnetic track brake assemblies which consist of track brake shoes 10, carried at each side of the truck in line With and between the Wheels and which, in and of themselves, need no further description. However, the mounting of these assemblies in conjunction with the present truck design is shown clearly in Figures 4 and 5. The track brake shoes 10 are inter-connected laterally through a cross member 12 carrying adjacent the central portion thereof bracket members 73 having rubber bumper members 14 on the outer faces thereof.

This assembly also includes parallel spaced brackets 15 having on the inner or facing surfaces, resilient cushioning material. The entire assembly, which is rigid in and of itself, is resiliently supported from the truck frame by an extension of the plate member I through which is projected a hanger bolt 76, carrying at its upper end a collar member 17, seating upon the upper end of a spring 18, which spring is supported on its lower end on the plate member [5, thereby providing a resilient hanging support of the magnetic brake shoe assembly. In order to effectively hold this mechanism against lateral oscillation, the plate 79 upon which the springs 24 are seated, is extended laterally inwardly and provided with side flange members 80 extending between the spaced brackets 15 and having an end surface adapted to be confined by the rubber bumpers 74 to prevent lateral oscillation of the brakes relative the truck frame.

The brackets 15 between which the plates 80 are confined, serve to transmit the braking action of the brake shoes to the main frame of the truck through the plate 19 and plate 15, so that when the brakes are applied, the abutment against the plates 80 transmits the braking forces to the sub-frame of the vehicle.

Thus, it is believed apparent that the present invention provides a truck frame formed mainly of structural steel sections and thereby reduces the cost by the use of fewer castings in the truck, while yet providing a rigid and sturdy frame,

with the major portion of the vertical load being carried in the bolster springs and the remainder in journal springs which are located between the axles.

This shortens the frame members of the truck materially, thus further reducing the cost. Also, it will be noted that the bolster springs are disposed substantially in alinement with the wheels to widen out the spring suspension for the bolster and reduce body tilting. This in connection with the use of rubber sandwiches for the steel springs to absorb the stresses imposed on these springs during tilting action, results in a truck having better lateral ride on a poor track.

I am aware that various changes may be made in certain details of the present construction,

and I therefore do not intend to be limited except as defined by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a rail truck, a pair of spaced axles, a main frame consisting of parallel side frame members formed of longitudinal channels extending under said axles and having a horizontal plate extending over the top thereof, said main frame having diagonally opposed corners rigidly connected to said axle housings and the opposite diagonal corners mounted for limited relative vertical rocking movement with respect to said axle housings, first coil springs on said plate adjacent to but between said axles, a secondary frame including side members disposed vertically above said main frame channel members formed of two longitudinal channels arranged to form a box frame between said axles and supported on said first coil springs, channel-shaped cross members interconnecting said side members and extending therebeyond, depressed cradle means interconnecting the adjacent extending ends of said cross members, second coil springs seated on said depressed cradle means, and a bolster intermediate said cross members and having its ends supported on said second coil springs.

2. The truck of claim 1 including rubber bumper means between said axle housings and the ends of said side members of said secondary frame.

ALFRED O. WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 347,281 Vose Aug. 10, 1886 373,640 Brill Nov. 22, 1887 957,133 Wood May 3, 1910 1,606,495 Barrows Nov, 9, 1926 1,779,157 Batz Oct. 21, 1930 1,831,710 Hubbard Nov. 10, 1931 1,911,330 Symington May 30, 1933 1,961,010 Norbom May 29, 1934 2,296,769 Cox Sept. 22, 1942 2,316,046 Buckwalter Apr. 6, 1943 2,317,398 Nystrom et al Apr. 27, 1943 2,319,623 Nystrom et al May 18, 1943 2,321,845 Nystrom et al June 15 1943 2,334,073 Cottrell Nov. 9, 1943 2,336,661 Williams Dec. 14, 1943 2,347,500 Parke Apr. 25 1944 2,427,635 Ulrich Sept. 16, 1947 2,434,287 Pfiager Jan. 13, 1948 

